Photographic image and method of making same



. principle,

Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM V. D. KELLEY, OF LOS-ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORl, BY MESNE AS- 7 1,628,248 PATENT OFFICE.

SIGNMENTS, TO PRIZMA, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Application filed November 19, 1919, Serial No. 339,044. Renewed October 21, 1926.

This invention relates to photographic color images, and has particular referenceto a novel process and product whereby color production by photography is facilitated, especially as applied to single pictures, .or long strips of such pictures in motion pictures.

In a prior application Serial No. 289,029, filed April 10, 1919, I have disclosed a picture projeetable in color on the additive wherein each of a plurality of emulsions is divided into fine lines and spaces, or other designs, so arranged that the lines vand spaces are displaced, the spaces of each emuls'on carrying a color value image in black similar to a key print, and the lines of each emulsion being colored in respectively complementary colors. This product has many advantages both in manufacture, and in use, as well as in rendition of colors, and good perspective. The present invention has for its object. to provide a novel method whereby such pictures can be easily made, and especially suitable for color motion pictures in quantity production,.

I where it is necessary to eliminate delicate manipulations of large quantfties of film, to get quick production, and to avoid the difficulties inherent in present methods of obtaining balanced and uniform colors with dyes applied to entire images.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows, for example, a green negative;

Fig. 2 shows a red negative; Fig. .3 shows the positive with the yellow dyed lines;

Fig. 4: shows the front of the positive printed from the green negative;

Fi 5 shows the back of the positive printed from the red negative;

Fig. 6 shows the front of the final positive with the lines colored;

Fig. 7 shows the back of the final positive, and

Fig. 8 shows a sectional view.

According to the present invention, color selection negatives taken by known methods, either consecutively, or simultaneously, or approximately simultaneously, are used for printing the positive, the negatives recording one side of the spectrum being printed on one emulsion, and those recording the other side of thespectrum being printed in another emulsion, these two emulsions being preferably on opposite sides of a transparent pellicle or support, or on the same side, it being practicable to print two emulsions or different portions of one emulsion on the same side of a support, by printing the outer in the ordinary way from one negative, and printing the other emulsion from another negative through the back of the ositive support, but the invention will be escribed herein with reference to the specific form wherein, for simplicity, one emulsion is on one side of the positive support and the other emulsion on the other side of the positive support. The first step is to print each positive emulsion with a design, as through a ruled screen made up of opaque and transparent lines, for example, so that the lines printed through the screen on one emulsion register exactly with the spaces not printed through the screen on the other emulsion.

I have found that screens having four hundred opaque lines and four hundred clear lines to the inch give satisfactory results, and that by using two screens fixed in the proper relation so that their lines and spaces are displaced, with a light source having two beams, it is possible to simultaneously and rapidly print both emulsions. The area of the screen lines is preferably equal to that of the spaces, but in order to minimize defects due to lack of exact registration of a line in one screen with the space in the other, or the lines printed in one emulsion with the spaces in the other, the screen lines may be of slightly greater total area than the screen spaces, so that the lines of exposed silver bromid in the emulsions will be slightly narrower than the lines of unexposed silver bromid, it only being neces-' sary to explain at this time that the lines of unexposed silver bromid in the emulsion will'hereafter receive the impressions from the; negatives, while the exposed silver bromid lines in the positive emulsions will hereafter be colored in clear spectrum colors, those on one side being, for example,

colored red, and those on the other side green, so that the result in the final positive will be that a red line will be behind a positive printed from a red image, and'a green line behind a positive printed from a green image.

The next step is to develop both sets of designs, or lines, so as to bring them out in black silver without fixing, and without desensitizing the intervening unexposed portions. The support is then treated, as by immersion, in a 3%-10% formalin bath, as a hardener, or tanning of the gelatine to render it repellent to dye. After washing to remove excess formalin the unfixed black silver lines or other designs .are

bleached so that the; will take up color or mordant a dye which may be permanent, or may wash out of the unmordanted portions. This color may be the final line or design color, say red on one side and bluegreen on the other, or a weak fugitive or temporary protective dye, as yellow, ifit is desired to protect one emulsion from being fogged while printing an image in the other. If the yellow dye be used, it will afterward be turned into the final color, or washed out and replaced by the final color, which becomes fixed.

I have found that images after being developed and subjected to bleaching baths, tend to redevelop back into black silver when the film goes into the second developing bath for developing up the images from the color selection negatives, which is prevented if certain developers, such as one containing hydroquinone, be used.

For bleaching, a suitable bath is the following:

Potassium bichromate 4. g. Potassium bromide 9. 50 g. Cupric sulphate 14. 00 g. Hydrochloric acid 10. 00 g Yellow, orange or brown dye (if desired) 2. 00 c. c.

lVater 1000. 00 g.

Nitric or acetic acid can be used instead of hydrochloric, and the bath may be used at a temperature 11p to 110 degrees F. Bleaches containing cupric sulphate as used in the bromoil process can be used as an alternative, if desired. At this time the final colors can be applied, red on one side in the bleached design, and green-blue on the other, using acid or azo dyes hereafter mentioned, instead of the protective fugitive dye, or no dye or color at all need be used at this time. Although the silver bromid has not. been exposed or fixed out in the space portions of the emulsion, it may have lost some of its natural printing speed due to its passing through the several chemical baths. This latent silver bromid is preferably strengthened and its speed revived by a 2-minute bath in the following:

Ammonium bromide Ammonia, about 26% c. 0. Water 4000 c. c.

The unfixed film carrying the bleached, and colored or uncolored designs can now be dried, and stored away for use when wanted for printing positives, being now composed of undyed or permanently or fugitively dyed designs out of registry in the two emulsions, with intervening sensitive portions. The bleached uncolored film is translucent and only faintly shows the de signs when dry. This in itself constitutes a novel article of manufacture, either with a single emulsion, or multiple emulsion, undyed or dyed, but the dyed form has a protective function in subsequent printing. This material, in the form of paper, plates, or motion picture film, can be manufactured in large quantities and sold to those desiring to do color work in the same manner as paper, plates and films are now sold, and containing one or more emulsions as desired, it being immaterial to the broad scope of this invention whether one or more emulsions be on opposite sides of the support or on the same side, as it is found that with two emulsions on the same side of a suitable support, or a single heavy emulsion, the solution will act to practically the same extent as if one were on each side of the support. It will be observed that in this process the support and emulsions are treated throughout as entireties and all i of the chemical treatments can be by immersion, such as developing, bleaching, fugitive or permanent dyeing, increasing the speed, developing, fixing and dyeing after printing the images, washing, etc. The different final coloring for each emulsion will preferably be in different tanks or otherwise so that each color is confined to its own emulsion layer. The foregoing operations are all performed under red or other light such as not to fog the emulsions.

The next step is to take this dry sensitive design emulsion and print the same from, for example, red and green-blue color selection negatives. Using two emulsions, as herein specifically shown, one being on each side of the support and both having the fugitive yellow dyed lines out of registry, the printing of the negatives by contact on opposite sides will be done in the ordinary manner, except that especial care must be taken to have the prints from these negatives register. There are two ways of doing this, using the standard perforation holes in motion picture film negative and corresponding perforated positive film. One way is where the negatives are taken simultaneously in the camera with the images in the same relative relation to the perforations on each negative. Such negatives can be printed simultaneously in contact with the positive film with two lights, and the negatives can be registered with each other by the two-pin registering mechanism fully described in my U. S. Patent No. 1259, 111, of March 20. 1918, in which one pin fully fits a selected perforation in each negative hole in the positive film of the support.

alkali developer will 'low or other protective dye, but not designs and passes through the corresponding positive film perforation, other perforations tight from top to bottom, but not from side to side, thereby allowing the shrinkage of the negative relatively to the positive film, if any, to-be takenupat the full fitting pin. Where the negatives are taken successively through changing color screens on a single strip, each negative image will bear a like, relation to its perforations, but it is difficult to print two succeeding negatives simultaneously on opposite sides of the positive film without cutting them up, so that the two prints are taken at different times, all of the green negatives, for example, being printed in suc .light by reversing both the positive film and-the pins, m the positive so as to use the same hole film to receive the full-fitting pin for the second print as was used for the first print, and keeping the image on one side in the same direction as that on the other side. Thus, any shrinkage in negative or positive film .is all taken up at the through which the full-fitting pin passes. This method is illustrated and described in said patent. By either method, it is insured that the two positive images are in register with each other, it being observed that it is immaterial how they are related to the line or I other design already onthe positive film.

The same methods sions on one side of a transparent support,

apply with two emulor a single heavy emulsion, one print being face to face, and the other through the back After printing both sides, the positive film is now developed in the ordinary man- 'ner in a developer such as one containing hydroquinone which will not degrade or redevelop the silver bromid or other sensitive salt still remaining in the design, but now carrying theunfixed or fugitive yellow. dye.

This dye has now performed its function in preventing passage of printing light through from one side to the other, especially where consecutive negatives are used and the prints are all made on one side of the film before printingon the other. This remove the weak yeloriginally dyed with the final color or colors. The 'film' is now ready for fixing and washing, and then for dyeing b either of two methods, if not already co ored. The design on each side will have been tanned or hardened from the baths to which it has and the other pin fits been subjected. The acid hypo fixing bath dissolves the silver bromid not exposed to light, and also the silver from the bleached portions, leaving in the'lines what is possibly 'a double salt or colloid of copper and chromium which will mordant and fix acid or azo d es. A dye that will not attach itself to t .ese parts as quickly as to the sections carr ing the image records may be used, in w ich case the design printed from the red value negative record becomes the dye carrier, and dyes such as used in the Pinatype process may be used. A second way is based upon the fact that the designs bleached by propertyof holding certain acid or azo dyes, leaving the sections carrying the image records unaffected, even though immersed in the dye bath. One of these methods can be used for one color, and the other for the other colon-if desired, as where both colors are on one side and it becomes desirable to back of each ortion of' green image will be a green tone or dyed line. By toning is .meant obtaining a color by a metal salt such as Prussian blue, which gives very good results. Dyes are usually precipitate,

preferable for reds, because of better transparency and ease of working. The various toning methods, and ge atine the basic dyes heretofore used in this art.

That is to say, the intensity of the 00101: and hence balance, is not so dependent upon an exact strength'of dye bath;

It shuld be observed that the weak protective dye, where used in the prepared positive film, has washed out during the development of thepositive prints, but the lines are still in condition to mordant to fix certain acid orazo dyes.

If not previously finally dyed, the film dyed, one side at a time, in the an now b the foregoing bath have the coloring methods will not be described, as they are that ,I have found that acid or andin practical motion picture film proper red and green acid or azo dye baths, of a strength of about one-half per cent at a temperature of about degrees F. Suitable dyes are ponceaus, fast red, blue, and green, acid fuchsine, and yellows and browns, such as now used in wool dyeing. For final dyeing the dye strength is greater than for temporary protective dyeing. From the dye bath the film, plate or paper is washed, which removes the dye from the image portions but leaves it fixed in brilliant permanent form in the design portions.

After obtaining the prepared positive stock and color selection negatives, the foregoing process can be carried out by persons, of ordinary skill, especially for plate work, etc;

In the drawing, Fig. l is a negative made through a green screen of an object having a red section B, a black section B, a green section G, and a white section W, while Fig. .2- is a similar View of the red negative. Fig. 3 shows the prepared positive film having the two emulsions, one containing the yellow lines Y with sensitive spaces S, out of registry with the similar lines and spaces in the other emulsion. Fig. on the front of F i z 3, from the green negative, 1 being the ull-fitting pin filling one of the perforation holes 2 of the positive film and negative, and 3 being the loosefitting pin fitting the perforation hole 4 from: top to bottom, but not from side to side, while in Fig. 5 the reversal of the pins and positive film is shown where the red ne ative is printed on the back of Fig. 3. B ig. 6 shows the'front of the completed article after being dyed, the sections N bein the lines colored red, and the sections M being the positive portions made from the ne ative of Fig. 2, the portions of the object B, W, G now partially appearing in color, while in Fig. 7 the back is shown colored in like manner with green lines P, constituting the design colored green with the image portions Q. It will be observed that the image portions together constitute a single discontinuous image in black and white, which acts as a key print without diminution or loss in sharpness by reason of conversion of one or more entire silver image into a dye image according to the subtractive prin ciple. According to this invention the colors are even tones in any desired design, and balancing of, the colors by changing the proportionate area is a simple matter, although work the images will very slightly overlap each other so as not to lose continuity, but not so much as to interrupt the blending of color. By considering Figs. 6 and 7 as superposed, it will be seen that all the area B will be black, the areas R and G willshow red and green respectively according to the original object, and the area W will show white by 4 shows a printthe addition of balanced red and green blue, there being no white in the picture otherwise. Although I prefer the use of'complemental-y red and green-blue for dyeing the lines, satisfactory results can be secured by using only one dye color, as red, since I have found in practice that the eye will supply the green on the additive principle when the owing to the tanning effect on the gelatine v where the bleaching has been done.

It will be seen that this invention very much simplifies color photography, since the prepared stock can be made 1n quantity and stored for use. Coloring will be by simple surface contact without delicate manipulations. So far as I am aware, the process, and positive stock product made up of definite portions selective to color, or definite portions sensitive to light, orboth, is broadly new, and vastly simplifies the art for the worker.

Various modifications and changes may be made in the details of rocess herein described and a wide range oFpellicles used with one, two or more emulsions, and I do not restrict myself except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A support carrying dry photographic emulsiolnseparated portions of the emulsion being light insensitive and intervening portions being light sensitive, said portions eing additive.

2. A support carrying dry hardened photographic emulsion, one portion of the emulsion being being colored and another portion being light sensitive to record an image, said portions being additive.

3. A support carrying dry photographic emulsion, one portion of which emulsion comprises bleached developed silver salts capa'ble of being colored, and another portion comprising light sensitive undeveloped silver salts, said portions being additive.

4. A support carrying dry photographic emulsion, separated portions of the emulsion being colored, and intervening portions being light sensitive and capable of recording an image, said portions being additive 5. A support carrying dry photographic emulsion, separated portions of the emulsion being light insensitive and capable of fixing acid or azo dyes, and intervening portions being light sensitive and capable of recording an image, said portions being additive.

6. A support carrying dry photographic light insensitive and capable of emulsion some portions of the emulsion being light sensitive and capable of recording an image, and the remaining portions being capable of fixing a dye without degrading when the image is developed and fixed, said portion being additive.

7. A support carrying. dry photographic emulsion, some portions of the emulsion being light sensitive and capable of recording amimage, and the remaining portions being capable of fixing an acid or azo dye without degrading when the image is developed, said portion being additive.

8. A support carrying a plurality of emulsions, portions of each emulsion being alternately light sensitive and light insensitive, the former of one emulsion registering with the latter of the other, said portions being additive.

9. A support carrying dry hardened photographic silver emulsion, separated portions containing light insensitive silver salts treated to fix color, and intervening portions containing normally light sensitive silver salts.

10. A support carrying dry emulsion on each side additively finely sub-divided into portions alternately light sensitive and light insensitive, the light insensitive portions being bleached to fix dye.

11. A support carrying dry emulsion on each side, additive portions of each emulsion being alternately light insensitive and light sensitive, the light sensitive portions on each' side registering with the light insensitive portions on the other side.

12. A supportcarrying sensitive photographic emulsion finely subdivided with an additive design comprising separated light insensitive portions capable of fixing color.

13. A support Carrying photographic emulsion separated portions constituting a finely divided design treated to fix a dye in situ, and intervening portions containing unexposed light sensitive silver salts capable of recording an image.

14. transparent support carrying two emulsions, each carrying a finely divided design printed thereon displaced so that the exposed portions of one emulsion register with unexposed portions on the other, the former being capable of permanently fixing color.

15. In the production of a color print,

Y printing a sensitive emulsion with a finely divided design, developing and treating the print to absorb color, making a second print in the unexposed portions of the design, and developing the second rint in such manner as not to redevelop the rst image.

16. In the production .of a color print,

' printing a positive sensitive emulsion with a finely divided design, developing the print, treating the print to take color in such manner as not to destroy the sensitiveness of the unexposed emulsion in the design, makin a second print in the unexposed portions 0 the design, and developing the second print in such manner as not to redevelop or degrade the first image or afiect its'capacity of being colored.

17. In the production of a color print, printing a sensitive emulsion with a finely divided design, treating the print to be receptive to color in such manner as not t0. destroy the sensitiveness of the unexposed design, making a second print in the unexposed design, developing the second print in such manner as not to redevelop or degrade said first image, and treating both images in additive design, developing the printed design, bleaching and drying without fixing.

?0.;In the production of a color print, printing a sensitive emulsion with a selected additive design, developing the printed de-. sign, treating the developed design image to render it capable of being colored, and drying.

21. In the production of a color print, printlnga sensitive emulsion with a selected design, developing the printed design, and treating the developed design with a bath to render it capable of fixing an acid or azo dye;

22. In the production of a color print, exposing a portion of sensitive emulsion to light, developing the exposed portion, treating said portion to absorb an acid or azo dye, drying the print, printing an image on the unexposed portions, developing the latter image without redeveloping the exposed portion, fixing the entire emulsion, and coloring the first treated portion with an acid or azo dye.

In the production of a color print compr1s1ng a support having at least two emulsions each containing a partial additive image relatively displaced to form one image, and relatively displaced screen elements, printing, developing and bleaching the screen portions of each emulsion, drying, then printm and. developing the partial images, and xing.

2a. The process conslsting in printing a- 'predetermined'additive design'on a sensitive unexposed sensitive portions,

" additive design,

the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions.

25. The process consisting in printing a predetermined additive design on a sensitive emulsion carried by a support, and developing and bleaching said design without destroying the sensitiveness of the unprinted portions. g

26. The process consisting in prlnting-a predetermined additivejdesign on a sensitive emulsion carried by a support, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the portions, and coloring the exposed portions.

27. The process consisting in printing a predetermined additive design on a sensitive emulsion carried by a support, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, and coloring the exposed portions with a temporary dye.

28. The process consisting in printing a predetermined additive design on a sensitive emulsion carried by a support, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorbcolor without destroying the sensitiveness of the -unexposed portions, printing an image on the latter, developing and fixing coloring the first treated portions.

29. The process consisting in printing a predetermined additive design on a sensitive emulsion carried by a support, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness ofthe same, and

unexposed portions, printing an image onv the latter, developing and fixing same without redeveloping the'first treated portions, and coloring the first treated portions.

30. The process consisting in printing a predetern'iined additive design on a sensitive emulsion carriedby a support, treating the exposed portions in a manner to be receptive to color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, coloring the treated portions, printing an image on the developing same, and applying a permanent color to the previously colored portions.

. 31. In the production of a color print, printing a sensitive emulsion with a selected additive design, and developing and coloring said design without destroying the sensitiveness of the unprinted portions.

32. In the production of a color print, printing a sensitive emulsion with a selected developing said design, bleaching and increasing the sensitiveness of the unprinted portions.

I 33. In the production of a color print, printing a sensitive emulsion with a selected additive design, developing and bleaching the sensitiveness of printing and develsaid design, increasing the unprinted portlons,

- sensitive emulsions on a oping an image in said portions, removing silver salt from the bleached image portions, and coloring the silver free bleached portions.

34. The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a support with match ing designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the exposed portions of the other, and treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions.

35. The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a support with matching designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the exposed portions of the other, and treating the exposed portionsina manner to absorb a temporary protective color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions.

36. The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a support with matching designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the exposed portions of the other, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, and coloring the exposed portions.

The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a support. with matching designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the exposed portions of the other, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb ,color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, and dyeing the exposed portions. 7

38. The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a support with matching designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the exposed portions of the other, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, and dyeing the exposed portions with a temporary dye.

39. The process consisting in printing two support with matching designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the exposed portions of the other, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, printing images in register in the unexposed portions of each emulsion, developing same without redeveloping the treated portions, and colorin the treated portions of at least one of sai emulsions.

. 40. The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a su port with matching designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the the treated portions, and coloring the treated portions of each emulsion with a color different from that with which the treated portion of the other emulsion is colored.

41. The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a support with match ing designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one-emulsion register withthe exposed portions of the other, treating the exposed portions in a manner to absorb color withoutdestroyingthe sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, printing different color value images in reglster in the unexposed portions of each -emulsion, developing same without redeveloping the treated portions, and coloring the treated portions of at least one of said emulsions.

42. The process consisting in printing two sensitive emulsions on a support with predetermined designs displaced so that the unexposed portions of one emulsion register with the exposed rtions of the other,

treating the expose portions in a manner toabsorb color without destroying the sensitiveness of the unexposed portions, printing images in re ister in the unexposed portions of each emulsion, developing same without redeveloping the treated portions, and color-- ing the treated portions of each emulsion divided design,

divided design,

with a color complementary to the color value image in the remaining portions.

43. The process consisting in printing a finely divided design on opposite sides of a double coated perforated positive film displaced so that the unexposed portions of one printregister with the exposed portions of the other, treating the film so that the exposed portions are capable of absorbing color, printing a color value image on one side registered b \a perforation with one" of the positive per orations, printing'a second color value image of complementary color family on the other side registered by the same positive perforation with the first image printed, developing said images without redeveloping the color absorptive portigns, removingsilver salt, and coloring the color absorptive portions. so that the color on one side will be complementary to that on the other.

44. In the production of a color print, printing a sensitive emulsion with a finely developing, hardening, bleaching to be color absorptive and drying.

45. In the production of a color print,

printing a sensitive emulsion with a finely developing, hardening, bleaching to be color absorptive, increasing the speed of the unexposed portions, and drying.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this seventh day of November, A, D. 1919.

WILLIAM V. D. KELLEY. 

